Turkey Largest Tobacco Exporter to Iran

According to the latest figures released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, Turkey was the biggest exporter of tobacco to Iran during the 11 months to February 19, worth more than US$42.35 million.

Iran imported a total of about 16,100 tons of tobacco worth nearly IRR3.4 billion (US$118 million) during this period. Following Turkey, other major exporters were Jordan, Germany, the UAE, Brazil, Zimbabwe, France, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Indonesia, Bulgaria, and Russia.“

Around 20% of Iran’s demand for tobacco is domestically produced,” said Ali Asghar Ramzi, head of the Tobacco Planning and Supervision Center. Last year, he was also quoted to have said that plans had been made to increase land under tobacco cultivation by 500% to achieve self-sufficiency. He also noted that imported tobacco is 30-40% more expensive than the local product. According to Hosseinali Qavanlou, the head of Golestan Industries, Mines and Trade Organization, nearly 65% of Iran’s tobacco (over 5,000 tons) is cultivated in northern Iran.